New Law Provides Alternative Method of Compliance with Water Use Monitoring Requirements

November 21, 2017

Assembly Bill (“AB”) 589, effective until January 1, 2023, provides an alternative method to comply with the water use reporting and monitoring requirements of Senate Bill 88. Instead of having to consult with a professional engineer for the purpose of certification, any individual who completes an instructional course through the University of California Cooperative Extension (“UC Extension”) will be able to certify the installation of the measuring device or measuring method.

The first deadline of April 1, 2017 for qualified water right holders to file annual water use reports to the State Water Board has already passed. The alternative certification process enacted by AB 489 may be useful for future water use monitoring and reporting once the UC Extension and the State Water Board have a fully-formed curriculum of the required course and the proficiency test. In the meantime, measurement methods that meet the requirements of Senate Bill 88 can be viewed on the California Water Boards website.